Chase stopped sipping his slushy. "What's in it for me?"
"You'll have a place to stay and food to eat for a week. If you do a good job, you'll get a nice payout at the end."
Chase thought about the woman's offer. He was running low on money and sleeping on chairs, and the floor hurt. Despite looking like another snobbish rich woman, her eyes didn't look down at him. She had given him new clothes, a bag, and paid for his game and meal.
"Why not adopt one?"
"Things are...complicated."
"Spill the beans, or we don't have a deal."
"I can always find that security guard and let him know I had the wrong kid."
"Or I can scream for help right now and say you've kidnapped me."
"Touché." The woman said crossing her arms and leaning back into her chair. "Due to an unexpected development, my husband and I need a child for a week."
"Why pick me?"
"You're sharp and resourceful for a runaway."
"You have to be to survive without help."
"Do we have a deal?" She asked impatiently.
"Sure. I'm Chase."
"That's not your real name, is it?"
Chase shrugged at the woman playfully.
"Since you're using a made-up name, you won't have a problem if I give you another one. From now on, your name is Adam, and you will call me 'mom' or 'mother."
Adam and his mother talked about the family's trip to the mall and their plans for the rest of the day. When he finished his drink, the pair moved on to find his father. They found him on the third floor talking to a woman who seemed very comfortable around him.
"I'll leave how to approach us up to you." His mother said as she walked briskly to his father's side.
Adam watched as his mother moved in alongside his father, slipping her hand into his and drawing his attention away from the woman. His father looked relieved to see her and drew her into the shelter of his arm as he introduced the two women.
Adam dipped into his new bag and pulled out his handheld. He turned the device on and walked up to the adults, seemingly preoccupied.
"Adam!" his mother called sternly as she pulled him to her.
"Where did you find him?" His father asked, locking eyes with his mother.
"The game store. You didn't give him enough for his game."
"Games were $15 when I was a boy."
"They're $60 now."
"What exactly did you get, Adam?"
Adam excitedly dipped into his bag and pulled out the new game for his father. To onlookers, this was a normal family interaction. A couple with their normal 10-year-old son on a normal outing at the mall.
"You have a child?" the woman asked.
Her sadness betrayed her when her voice broke with the question.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
